Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

End of an era at my house. There will be no more sipping wine in the hot tub on my back porch. Now - if you think I gave up wine you would be incorrect, lol. Didn't give up my back porch either. I gave the hot tub to my son... I'm going to miss it - especially this time of year but DH can't really use it soooo... He can't tolerate the heat because of his blood pressure and meds and with his diabetic pump and sensors attached to his body he can't really submerge in water anyway. So I decided that it would have a better home with my son. It's still in the family so I'm sure I can take a soak every now and then.

This step gives us more room on the porch so we'll rearrange, spiff up the patio furniture with new cushions and get a new fire pit so we can still enjoy some outside time. I can sip wine from a patio chair almost as readily as from the tub.

In other news I finally got a round bale moved. Should have been simple - wasn't. But it's done and the goats are enjoying the fruits of my labor. Re-did the chicken and quail feed storage area including new cans. With the larger cans I can pre-mix their feed. Makes it a bit simpler at feeding time.

I've got some chicken cooking and found a recipe for chili made with shredded chicken meat so I'll give that a try. Our high today is 75 - yum - chili weather, lol. We have a front headed our way that may have some degree of seriousness attached. Possible 60+mph winds and the threat of rotation. Oh yay... But that's why I have a storm shed (cause I'm a weather wuss).

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Goats are tearing UP the new round bale. I guess there's something about cold(ish), dreary weather that makes everybody hungry (including me), lol.

I've been watching one of my does that has a ridiculous scur. It has curled around her head and a couple weeks ago I was telling DH that we'd have to address that issue because it's headed straight for her eye. This morning I went to check on it and see, to my surprise, that it's nowhere near her eyeball anymore. It seems to have dropped down about an inch and is just beginning to touch her cheek, below her eye. ARGH! Still have to address it soon. I was hoping to wait until she kidded, but it looks like I need to get it taken care of. I am definitely NOT looking forward to this job. If I'm lucky I can just take off the tip and it won't be bloody and yuck. Eventually, after she kids and weans baby(ies) I want to go ahead and get a band around it so it'll be taken care of at the source. Not looking forward to that part of it either. That's what I get for doing such a lousy disbudding job.

Egg production has cranked up with hens (and quail hens), and I've actually got extra eggs stacking up. Not a bad problem to have I suppose.

Raised bed gardens are chugging along. I'll try to get some sugar snap peas into the last bed this week. Have no idea if they'll make it through the (so-called) winter we get, but I'm in an experimental state of mind these days. No reason not to at least try.

Have a roast in the crockpot for dinner. Yum!

 

[flowerbug]

Goats are tearing UP the new round bale. I guess there's something about cold(ish), dreary weather that makes everybody hungry (including me), lol.

yeah. this time of the year it is very hard for me to stuff the pie hole.

I've been watching one of my does that has a ridiculous scur. It has curled around her head and a couple weeks ago I was telling DH that we'd have to address that issue because it's headed straight for her eye. This morning I went to check on it and see, to my surprise, that it's nowhere near her eyeball anymore. It seems to have dropped down about an inch and is just beginning to touch her cheek, below her eye. ARGH! Still have to address it soon. I was hoping to wait until she kidded, but it looks like I need to get it taken care of. I am definitely NOT looking forward to this job. If I'm lucky I can just take off the tip and it won't be bloody and yuck. Eventually, after she kids and weans baby(ies) I want to go ahead and get a band around it so it'll be taken care of at the source. Not looking forward to that part of it either. That's what I get for doing such a lousy disbudding job.

i had to look that word up even though i figured it out from the context. i don't think i could ever have livestock. i just don't want to doctor animals.

Egg production has cranked up with hens (and quail hens), and I've actually got extra eggs stacking up. Not a bad problem to have I suppose.

especially if you like custards, omlets, pickled eggs, ... etc.

Raised bed gardens are chugging along. I'll try to get some sugar snap peas into the last bed this week. Have no idea if they'll make it through the (so-called) winter we get, but I'm in an experimental state of mind these days. No reason not to at least try.

you can always eat some sprouts/tips even if they don't get pods. i like peas for the flowers too. some are bi-colored or other than white so that makes them interesting too.

Have a roast in the crockpot for dinner. Yum!

 

[tortoise]

i don't think i could ever have livestock. i just don't want to doctor animals.

worst part for me too. Pro tip: marry a veterinarian.

 

[NH Homesteader]

It freaked me out at first but I’m pretty much over it now. I had to pull a lamb this year for the first time and it didn’t bother me at all.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Pro tip: marry a veterinarian.

Dammit - I did that alllllll wrong, lol!

It freaked me out at first but I’m pretty much over it now.

Yep - Once you get past that first time it gets so much easier!

i don't think i could ever have livestock. i just don't want to doctor animals.

Oh man - I've been doing it for so long I don't really think anything of it anymore. I think I gave my first injection when I was about 13 or 14 yo. My mother - the nurse - wouldn't do it for me. It's your horse - you're gonna take care of him. It musta took me about a half-hour to get up the nerve to stick that horse the first time, lol. It's a good thing he was patient and kind.

There are very few things I won't at least attempt. But I'm weird - I like it!

 

[tortoise]

Dammit - I did that alllllll wrong, lol!

I will never have animals with horns. That's too much for me.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I will never have animals with horns. That's too much for me.

I pretty much hate horns too. However, I bought a buck early this year that is totally horned. I told his breeder that I don't like horns and that I'd only keep him for a season. He told me he'd buy him back when I was done with him. I need to get that in motion. He's becoming very destructive with his horns as he ages. And, I missed the window disbudding one doeling this spring. Her little horns are about 3 inches long. She will be sold.

I hate disbudding - but I hate horns more!

 

[NH Homesteader]

I love my horned rams. They’re good handles!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I love my horned rams. They’re good handles!

that must be a difference in sheep and goats. Frankie's horns are big enough to make great handles - but he protests greatly when I grab him that way. I've got a collar on him now and he responds much more calmly to the collar.

Yesterday he was hooking his horns into my lattice garden arbor. It's pretty much demolished.... argh.